Automatic train-line coupling.



T. R BROWN}, AUTOMATIC TRA'I N LINE COUPLING. APPucAIion'JHLo JULY 14. 1914.

1 ,226,6 2. Patented May 15., 1917.

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AUTO'Y MATIC TRAIN LINE COUPLING. APELICATION FILED JULY 14. 1914.

m mmmo Patented May 15,1911

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T; RPBROWN AUTOMATIC TRAIN LINE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY'M; I914.

Patented May15, 1917. I

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T II I zod 10a 20a /II III v UNITED STATES "'T OFFICE.

'rIioMAs n. BRoWN, F SPARKILL, NEW Yorm, ASSIGNOR To T-HE WESTINGHOUSE A113.

BRAKE Qumran orwimunnm v'e, PENNSYLVANIA, A coitrona'rioiv or PEN-N- sYLvamag To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, THOMAS R. Brown, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Sparkill, in the county of Bockland and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic.

' "vehicles of a train, one ofthe objects being i toprovide a cou'plingof thebutt type with improved means for interlocking the counterpart coju'pler'heads when brought together in the act ofcoupling, whereby the same are in one-integral structure.

Inthelaccompanymg drawings: Figure 1 a in vertical section;

1 Fig. 3, a face view of one'ot said couplers,

held together by a relative rotary movement between said coupler heads. 4 v

Anotherobj'ect is to provide the method of manufacture of such couplings in which the coupler head is supported by a coiled spring from a hanger plate or bracket, whereby the supporting plate, the coiled spring, and the coupler flange,'or portion of the coupler casmay be formedby acontinuous tapered shell, 10, of the ing supported by the spring,

is a side elevation of one form of coupling embodying my improvement, a portion of thecoiled spring and thelbracket.being indicated Fig. 2, a plan showing two counterpart couplings coupled together,

Fig. l, an elevation of the integral casting before the springs are out: Fig. 5,-a side elevation showing a modified form of coiled spring; Fig. 6, a vertical longitudinal section showing a turthermodificatioiiin'which a plurality of coiled springs are employed;

and Fig. 7, a transverse section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

According to the construction shown in l the drawings, thecoupling comprises a cou 'pler head, 4, having'openings, 5, provided askets for fluid pressure conduits, and electric contacts, (a-mounted in the face, 7

with

of said head, which is -also provided with outwardly projecting arms, 8, for engaging the corresponding arms of the counterpart.

a flange or plate9, supportedby spring 10, which is in turn supported by'the, hanger'plate or bracket, 11, boltedjto the itirromA'rro TRAIN-LINE COUPLING.

I 'Specificatioii of Letters Patent. v Patented Blay 15, 1917, Application filed July 14, 1 ai4.-- Serial No. 850,988.

coupler head for directing the heads into the engagement with each other in con-'- proper pling. The head, 4, is preferably bolted to the coiled draw bar or'car coupler, 12. Aitubul'arshankor guide member, 13, extends from the CO\l1)l61,flflI1g, 9.1thr'oiighthe axis ofthe coiled spring and-througli an opening in the bracket, '11, where it is provided with a flange, 14, for engaging the rear face of-the bracket plate and therebylilnit the outward movement of the coupler heads and prevent stretching of the springs when the heads are pulled apart .in uncoupling.

The coiled spring, 10, is preferably ta-- pelted toward the, outer. end and is rigidly secured at that end to theplateor portion, 9,

of the coupler head i'vhile't-he inner end is rigidly securedto the hanger or bracket plate,11'. Ae'isording to my improved method these parts, are formed inone integral:

structure by first forming a steel casting comprising said flanges or plates connected desiredcontour of the spring, as shown in Fig. 4,-and th'en cutting one or more'li elical slots in said shell betweenthe adjacentc'oils,

helical coils formed integral with thefrespeo tire flanges at-their opposite ends; the cast ing being made of such a grade of steel that.

thus leavingone or more continuous tapered the spring shall havetlie desired resiliency;

Thecentral tubular guide member, 13, may

also'be castintegral with the flange, 9, and bracket, '11, its flange, 14, being aftervvi'ird cut-apartffrointhe bracket along the .surface, 15.; By'

and it is'only' necessary to attach the coupler I "head to the front 'flange.

nections are made secure and permanent, j

The outwardly flaring and tapered. arms,

8, project torward'upon opposite sides of the face of each coupler head, one at the right above the center and the other at the'left below the center, whereby. when the two counterpart couplers are b'roughttogether in couserve to gu de the pling, the engaging arms ployed, if desired, as shown in Fig, 6, 111.. v

- other end of said spr ng, means for produc- 120- heads properly and direct the faces into a ,batt contact with each other. In order that L the coupler 'lie'adswiiiay be interlocked in the closed position one of the flaring edges of the arm, 8, is formed with a surface, 16, inclined at an angle to the coupler face, and has a projectiomafl, ientending laterally beyond the vertical center line of the coupler face, whereby the corresponding edges of the proo jecti-ng arms ofbthe. counterpart coupler heads engage eachothcr in the act of coupling and cause a relative rotary movement between said heads, which action subjects I y the supporting coiled sgrings toha torsional "is-stress; then asthe pr jecting points, 17, of

' said edges pass-each other, the inclined surfaces, 16, come into engagement with each other, and the torsional force. stored in -the springs reacts tofturn the heads in opposite ing inclined surfaces, In this way the heads are yildingly'interlockedand there isa certain amount of rubbing action upon the electrio contacts which tends to keep the same clean and bright; a

The fluid pressure openings, such as 5, may communicate I by suitable passages through the heads,- with hand couplers, 5, so to. which the flexible hose of train pipe lines,

a ;such as the brake pipe and signal pipe, may

, be connected, and. other fluid pressure lines .;.may be connected to nipples, 51 communh eating Withfthe smaller openings,,5 in the face of the couplers, while. the, electric contacts are connected to respective circuit,

. Wires leadingf through the tubular guide member, V p hen the coupler .heads are. pulled apart to; in. uncoupling, .tl1eflange,.;1'4c, of the ,central uide en a es the bracket and. the coualer g heads ,pulling against eachother through the surfaces,- 16.; producea relative rotary. ,.moven1cnt of the heads sufficient for the at} edges, 17, co clear each otherlandTpermit the separation of the coupler heads. a

Aocording to the modifioationshown in- Fig. thecoiled spring,'l0", is formed in to piece rigidly secured at its oppo toithe bracket plate 11, and the coupler head, I, the latter connect-ion being 0 end coils of the spring t vc screwing the same/onto the threaded shank of thecouplcr head.

i A plurality of coiled springs maybe em- -whiclr coiled spring, 1.0, is locatedoutside of spring, 10 and is also attached at its ends to the bracket and coupler head respectively to provide additional resistance to the torsional or twisting movement of the coupler head. In order to give greater stiffness to the spring at its base, an add tional coiled of the distance from the bracket toward the close contact.

spring, 10 may be wound in between the springs, 10?, and-10,and extend out apart coupler head. The interlocking movement of the coupler heads, .due to the engaging arms, 8, surfaces, 16, and the torsional force of the coiled spring is substantially the same. in all of the modifications.

With reference to the formof connecting shell employed in the process of manufac ture," it will be apparent that, if preferred, portions of the slots may be formed therein when making the casting, and the remaining connecting ribs may then-be cut away to complete the helical slots and separate the adjacent coils of the spring.

Hav ng now descnbed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by a v Letters Patent is:

20 directions, and force the sauna intoclose contactwith each other, by means of the engag I coupler head. r

In an automatic coupling of the butt type, the combination of a hanger plate, a coiled spring formed integral with said hanger plate at one end, a flange formed integral with. saidspring at itsother' end, and a coupler. head secured to said flange and having outwardly projecting arms.

I 3. In an automatic coupling of the-butt type, the combination ofa hanger p1atc,a coiled spring, supported "thereby, a flange plate supported by said spring, a coupler head secured to said flange, and a guide member extending from said flange through the hanger plate, said hanger plate, coiled splin flange, and guide being formed in relative rotary movement of said heads in the act of coupling; 1 5. In an automatic coupling of the. butt type, the combinationlof a hanger plate, a coiled spring rigidly secured thereto at one endQa coupler headrigidlyscouredat the ing a relative rotary increment of the coun-v terpart heads in the'act of coupling, and interlockin projections having inchnedem gaging sur aces for forcing said heads into 6. In an automatic coupling of the butt end, and .a1couplerhead rigidly secured-at type, the combinationof a hanger pla; e,'a and having interlocking projections p11 coiled spring rigidly secured thereto at one videdwith inclined surfaces. 10

I 'In testimony whereof -I have hereunto the other n d of said spring and having uiz; Set my liand. I

wardly extending arms, -said' arm' being THOMAS-R. BROWN.

formed to coiiperiite with corresponding Witnesses: arms bf acounterpart coupler, to produce '"A. M. CLEMZENTS, a'relative rotary movement. of said. heads, S. 'W. 

